


Braids

by Oblivion_Wanderer



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Pre-Quest for Erebor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-18
Updated: 2015-09-18
Packaged: 2018-04-20 18:36:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4798124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oblivion_Wanderer/pseuds/Oblivion_Wanderer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The two brothers braiding each other's hair and discussing the upcoming quest to reclaim Erebor.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Braids

Load the bow. Aim. Fire!

_Thwap!_

Kili tilted his head to observe his work. He swiftly repeated the process three more times.

_Thwap! Thwap! Thwap!_

“Your aim is as great as ever.” Fili commented from where he sat in the shade of a tree.

Kili retrieved the arrows from the wooden target he was practicing on and put them back in their holder. “If we're going to take back Erebor alongside uncle Thorin, I have to be as sharp as an arrow.”

“Eager now, aren't we?”

“Why wouldn't I be?” Kili strolled over to his brother and sat down next to him. “I'm glad I'm going to be able get to join you on this quest.”

“Thorin knows I wouldn't have agreed to go if you couldn't come with me, and you know that too. I won't leave my little brother behind.”

Kili scoffed. “I'm hardly little anymore.”

“You're still five years younger than me.”

“But I am taller than you.”

“Only by a couple inches.”

Kili gave the blond Dwarf a light punch in the arm and Fili smirked back at him. True that while Fili was the older one, Kili was a tiny bit taller than him. He didn't mind it in the slightest.

The brunet ran a hand through his hair, and Fili got an idea.

“Come here, brother. Let me braid your hair.”

Kili raised an eyebrow at him, but shrugged. “Only if I can braid yours.”

“Of course you can.”

Kili scooted closer to his brother and turned back facing him so he could have at him. An act shared between the two brothers- it was common for Dwarfs to have braids in their hair, and Kili and Fili enjoyed it as like it was a lesiurely hobby. Often they would do this with one another, mostly when bored, sometimes for comfort if one needed it. It was realxing.

“Can you believe we'll get to see the fabled Erebor at long last?” The brunet asked.

“Hardly, but we must get there first.” Fili replied as he braided Kili's hair. “It's a long road ahead of us.”

“I still remember the stories uncle would tell us. Stories of that ancient place in the Lonely Mountain and the city of Dale.”

“He knew what it was like, before the dragon came.”

“Smaug.” Kili muttered. “Could he still be in those halls?”

“It's possible. A dragon does not leave their hoard so easily.”

“Well if he is there, then I'll slay him myself.”

Fili chuckled, though the thought of Kili rushing after the dragon armed with only his arrows and a sword worried him. “It'll take more than just you.”

“As long as we gain back Erebor from the dragon. That's the whole point of this quest, no?”

“That it is.”

The blond put a clasp in his brother's hair and finished the braid running down the back of his head. When it was done, Kili got up and moved behind his brother to start on his braids.

“Strange that we'll be traveling so far from home.” Kili piped up again.

“I understand what you're getting at.” Fili agreed. “We didn't grow up in Erebor like Thorin did. We were born here instead.”

The two brothers had lived all their life thus far in their birthplace of Ered Luin. They had never traveled outside the mountain range before, and traveling on this quest would be the farthest they've ever gone from home.

“Mum gave me a runestone. It says 'return to me'.” Kili continued, working on a second braid.

“I know. She worries about you, as do I. She wants us both to come home, and I want us both to survive this quest.”

“We're going to be fine. As long as I've got you by my side there's nothing to worry about.”

The older Dwarf looked over his shoulder and smiled at Kili. “I feel the same, Kili. There's no one I'd rather have join me on the quest than you.”

He gave a nod at his brother, before telling him to face ahead and hold still. An exaggeration, but Fili went along with it so the younger brother could continue working with his hair.

Truly there was no one else he wanted by his side than Kili. He had convinced Thorin of that- if Fili went, then Kili was to follow.

“All done!” The brunet announced, leaning back to admire his work.

Fili felt along the braid that Kili had put in his hair. Perfect, as always. “Thank you, Kili.”

The younger Dwarf smirked and jumped to his feet. “C'mon; let's go practice with the swords! We can duel each other!”

“Already jumping into something else? You're energetic as always. However, I think we've practiced enough today. Care to sit with me?” When Kili tilted his head, he laughed. “We're not going to get many more days like this. We'll be traveling soon.”

Kili took a moment to consider and sat down with his brother. They leaned back against the tree, but stayed close to one another. Kili rested his head on Fili's shoulder.

“I'm going to miss this place.” He said to the blond. “Will we ever come back?”

“Ered Luin is our home, I couldn't imagine being anywhere else, even if it is Erebor. Besides, mum will be waiting here for us.”

“Yeah...”

“We'll fulfill the quest, Kili, and we will come back home. We'll see this place again.”


End file.
